


Dig Two Graves

by Gelsey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:38:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelsey/pseuds/Gelsey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dig Two Graves

It ticked by, the time. Harry had noticed it years ago at Hogwarts; just when he most needed time, it flew by in adrenaline-fueled heartbeats, and just when he wished it would fly by, the hands of his watch seemingly froze in place.

But every, every now and then, things stopped at the perfect moment, if only for a brief second, a snapshot of something he wanted to preserve.

Or at least he thought he wanted to preserve.

It was thus as Harry watched Pansy Parkinson’s face crumple as he endorsed the freezing of her family accounts when her father was busted in his first successful Auror investigation—smuggling, poaching, illegal potions manufacture and distribution, among others. The tears as she realized he had been using her to get information on her father’s illicit activities.

The breaking of her heart as she realized he never cared for her.

In those ticks of seconds, he felt a surge of satisfaction zing through him with the beat of his heart, a vindictive thrill for her words on the day of the Final Battle.

Ron slapped his back and joked of it, later, during drinks at the pub. So did many others. Even Hermione seemed… well, neutral at best, but she never scolded and so for Hermione it was practically approval.

Harry went on with his job and the incident almost faded from memory, a faded Muggle photograph he took out on occasion for some reason or another. He didn’t feel bad, though it had been a vindictive thing; on the other hand, the satisfaction ebbed until it was faded like the memory, diluted by time and maturity.

It was Lucius Malfoy who shamed him. That it was the elder Malfoy made the shame all the more acute, as was the public venue. He ran into the man in Gringotts, Harry coming and Malfoy going and the two colliding accidentally-on-purpose, though on whose part the accident and whose part the purpose was undecipherable. 

“Reverse prejudice,” Malfoy said succinctly, “is worse than prejudice, because you delude yourself into thinking you’re open minded when you’re not. At least I know my limits.”

Harry sneered, wanted to snarl. Wanted to take this man down another peg. He grabbed the light bag in Lucius’ hand. “What’s this for? Bribing someone else?”

“For Pansy. Who you left alone and penniless, destitute and homeless. _Whose heart you broke._ It should be your money, but she would never touch it now.”

Lucius took back his bag and stalked away. Harry was left gaping, ashamed. His heart ached in his chest, like it had ever since he’d arrested the elder Parkinson though he hadn’t realized that was why he wasn’t sleeping well. 

She would never forgive him this. In extracting his revenge, he’d lost something he hadn’t even realized he had.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a Pansy/Harry LDWS a long time ago.


End file.
